1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a track device. In particular, a track device including a rail and a cross-member for supporting wheeled carriage.
2. Discussion Of The Related Art
Track devices are known for supporting wheeled carriages. For example, motion picture crews use cameras mounted on a wheeled dolly for certain shots. The wheeled dolly travels on a track, similar to a train track in that it includes rails and cross members.
Dolly track may be rented instead of owned. Not all shots require a dolly mounted camera so it is often useful to rent dollies and dolly track only for scenes or shoots that require it. Because of this, rental track is often mishandled and damaged during transport and use. Even when owned, dolly track is susceptible to wear and damage during use. This is a problem because an important aspect of the dolly track is to provide a smooth surface for moving the camera during the shot. Imperfections in the dolly track can result in unwanted vibrations in the camera, degrading the camera shot. Because dolly track is comprised of track sections, there are section joints having the potential for creating an uneven track surface and a bumpy dolly ride that can shake the camera during use. Dolly wheels traveling over uneven surfaces can also create unwanted noise that is included in the scene being recorded.
There are a number of disadvantages of prior art track systems. One disadvantage is that it is not possible to carry joined sections of track without damaging the track and increasing the likelihood of poor joint performance. This requires completely disassembling all track pieces when the track is to be moved. This is a time consuming process and adds to the cost of filmmaking. Another disadvantage of prior art track systems is the changing performance with changing temperature. Another disadvantage of prior art tube tracks is the method used for joining the track sections. The methods used often result in a poor joint that interrupts the desired smooth surface of track. Another disadvantage is that metal tracks are easily bent and/or dented so as to make them unsuitable for use.